Parade of Unholy Dead Things
by Kimblekn
Summary: Haley Scott was happy as a mother and a wife.  Sure, she was having family issues, but she was happy.  Damon Salvatore just had to kill her and ruin all of that, didn't he?
1. Joining the Living Undead

**(Me, again. You guys getting tired of me yet? Too bad, I'm not going anywhere. This is…different. I was inspired by a Delena fanfiction story I read, but its going to be SO different. But because it was inspired by another fanfiction I almost didn't want to post it, but I have a feeling a certain lovely lady might kill me if she ever found out I didn't post a Damley story. This will not be a one-shot, but instead a short angsty story. Not too many chapters. Maybe five, but who knows? Now I hope you enjoy! Tell me what you think if you would.)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything relating to OTH or TVD. **

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A Damley Short Story

Parade of the Unholy Dead Things

Part 1: Joining the Living Undead

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_1956: New York_

Damon Salvatore smirked from the other side of the diner, and laughed sarcastically as the girl smiled. She was pretty as a picture with sunshine hair, chocolate eyes, and cherry lips. She was probably queen bee, the talk of the town. Damon looked her up and down and saw that _yes _she was a square, but that was fine. She was probably pure and tasted delicious, but as she looked at him boldly and licked her lip he had to raise his eyebrows. Maybe she wasn't as pure as he thought. Broads were starting to think they could do things they hadn't been able to in earlier years, like fool around before marriage, and above that, with strange men.

Damon was all for the developments. While sneaking around with women was fun, some were so damn _virtuous_. They wanted the damn traditions and the wooing. Now, some women were loose and just wanted to _please _men. He liked that a lot. Although he missed classy women. Why couldn't the women be classy and sexy? Why couldn't they be like _Katherine_? She had an undeniable class when she was out in public and yet she was also a vixen, which was impossible to find back in the 1800s. He shook his head to rid thoughts of her. He would be with her when the comet came back. The time would pass. It would.

He looked back over at his meal, and saw someone who shocked him. _Katherine_. It had to be a trick. A joke. That was it; his mind was playing tricks on him. He made the mistake to think of her and now he had to suffer the consequences. But then his eyes met her and he _knew _it was her. The perfect olive skin covering her lilt little body, the deep brown eyes that held a dangerous and slightly cruel spark, the button nose, the plump cherry lips twisted into a cruel smirk that talked of unspoken promises _(promises that would without a doubt be broken),_ the provocative clothing that clung to her skin in a way no other girl's _(always a girl, never a woman) _ever had, and the sensual strut that radiated power and _sex_ – it was Katherine. One of a kind, love of his life Katherine. She was _alive_.

She ran her hands over his shoulders from her position beside him. "Miss me?" She purred into his ear in a seductive voice. Always the hunter, never the prey, she even hunted other hunters.

Damon grabbed her hand and forced it off of his body by forcing it backwards, breaking the hand horrifically. She didn't even flinch. "How are you _alive_?" He demanded. Hurt, excitement, love, _hate_, lust, worry, wonderment, _love_, _love_, _love_ – he was feeling it all, but he always felt one emotion every time he saw her: _love_.

"Owe, you're hurting me," she said in a teasing voice with a perfect pout painting her lips. He automatically let go of her hand and she popped the bones back into place without even wincing. She felt no pain. She was _Katherine Peirce_. Emotions were for the weak, power was what she craved. What she needed. Damon Salvatore was her greatest conquest. She took a wild, strong man and turned him into a blubbering mess. She had complete control over him and she _loved that_. "That's better," she comments, and slides into the seat beside her.

His eyes were solely focused on her face. Her beautiful, _beautiful_, angelic _(demonic) _face. "Katherine?" He repeats, his voice catching in his throat with emotion. "Why aren't you in the tomb?"

"You know about that, do you?" She questioned casually, as if they were speaking of the weather.

"Emily told me," he answers distractedly. He reaches a hand up and caresses her _soft _face. She closes her eyes at the contact loving the feel of his hand on her skin. She had always _loved _the way he loved her.

"I was able to escape, but I had to run," she answered honestly, but knowingly gave him false hope. "In fact I'm still on the run."

"That's why you left?" He questioned, staring at her with hope in his eyes. He had been afraid that she had openly left him. That she had just abandoned her, but _no._ She was on the run. She probably didn't think it was safe for him to be with her. He felt ashamed to have doubted her love for him for even a second. Of course she loved him _(but did she?)_.

She saw the hope in his eyes and decided to play with him a little more. He had always been her _favorite _play toy. "Yes, it is," she answered, once again telling the truth.

He grinned _(only Katherine could make him happy) _and pulled her into a heated kiss that she went into willingly. She can't help thinking that he is her _best _toy, always so _damn _focused on making her happy. "How about we get out of here?" He proposed with a telling smirk on his face. There was no mistaking his intentions.

"What no wooing?" She fake pouted. "No dinner or drive through?" She fake complained.

He laughed _(first time since she was ripped from his arms)_. "Have you ever needed wooing, Katherine?"

"No, but you know I reward good boys who do what they're supposed to," she _purred _into the side of his neck, placing a sensual kiss there.

"It can wait," he barked out, and all but drags her out of the diner. She once again had complete control over Damon. _(Power, power, power)_.

They used their vampire speed to get to a hotel quicker with Katherine always just out of Damon's reach _(what's new about that?)_. As soon as the two were within a room Katherine was pushed up against the wall and Damon was ravishing her, but Katherine didn't want to give up the power so she switched positions with Damon. Clothes were thrown about the room, smoldering kissed placed on ice cold skin, and limbs were tangled mercilessly. They were one. The only noises in the room were heavy breathing and Damon's sweet words of love he whispered to Katherine as he placed heavy kisses onto his loves flesh.

Enough became enough for Katherine. "Would you _shut up_?" She growled out, pushing Damon away from her body _(never letting him anywhere close to her heart)_.

"What?" He asked incredulously, his eyes raking over her nearly naked body.

"Could you shut up and stop with the sappy crap?" She demanded. She _hated _talking throughout sex, and more than that, she _despised _whispers of sweet nothings.

"Katherine," he sighed _(always so difficult)_. "I've just got you back, of course I want to tell you I love you," he pointed out.

"You don't _have _me!" She screeched. "You are _such _an idiot!" She hisses, circling him like she's her prey. She's able to gather back up her calmness and gives him a cruel smile. "Do you really think I _ever _loved you?"

His face turned ashen white. "What?"

Suddenly she was right in his face, caressing it the way he did to her earlier. "You were always fun, but I never loved you." She moved her mouth up against the shell of his ear. "I loved Stefan. It was always Stefan. You were just _fun_." She delivered the strike that would kill him and left right as he broke, without a single look back.

Now he would stop looking for her and she could hide from Klaus until the doppelganger was born. Then freedom would be hers and she would be able to be with Stefan. Forever.

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_Present Day: Tree Hill, North Carolina _

Damon Salvatore had always embraced the darker side of the demon within him, but after he found out the truth about Katherine's true feelings he became even crueler. Women were his favorite victims. Ones in love, ones who had never felt love, mothers, sisters, daughters, lovers – he didn't care. He was ruthless too. Ruthlessly murdering instead of just feeding. He wasn't by any definition a ripper, but he just didn't handle women like prized jewels any longer. They were pests that inhabited the earth. They were good for a fuck and good for food, but nothing more.

He was wondering the earth, looking for _some _reason to exist. It was all for Katherine _(everything he was, was for her)_. But the selfish bitch didn't love him. How did he go on? He had no hope for the future, no hope for his own salvation. Stefan would eventually be reunited with Katherine, but what about him? The unwanted brother.

He absentmindedly entered a club called _Tric_ looking for his next meal. Thoughts of the bitch and his bastard brother had chased his previous good mood away, so whoever was his meal for the day would not get any semblance of good treatment. He probably wouldn't even fuck them. Just dine and dash. Maybe he could leave their body out for the town to find and watch them scramble. Watch the festivities. _Yes_, he would do that. Entertainment for his endless existence. His eyes scrolled the all age's club looking for his meal as he ordered his usual bourbon.

The redhead dancing with the blonde man? No, she looked drunk and he didn't feel like having that in his system.

The raven haired girl stumbling out of the bathroom wiping at her nose? No, he had never enjoyed the buzz second hand coke gave him, and she was obviously high.

The sweet looking dark skinned girl flirting with the bartender? No, not right.

Blonde. Redhead. Blue eyed. Light skinned. Black hair. Orange hair. Green eyes. Brown eyes. _No, no, no, no, no, no, no and no!_ None of them seemed right. None of them seemed appetizing. Then a flash of movement occurred in the corner of his eyes and he turned.

There was a curly haired blonde with green eyes and pale skin. She was effortlessly beautiful in a band T, skinny jeans, and converse. Her companion caught his eye though. She was shorter with short dark hair, dark eyes, and tanned skin. She was more dressed up in a high wasted skirt, a button up shirt, and pumps. She was stunning. Parts of their conversation hit his vampire hearing rang.

"Haley you have nothing to worry about, about Nathan and Carrie. She's the nanny and he loves _you_," the curly haired blonde stressed, placing her hand on her friend.

"Does he though?" the other girl _(Haley)_ sighed. "After all that we've been through, after all that he's put Jamie and I through, how can I believe he _really loves_ me?" She questioned.

"He's Nathan and you're Haley," was all that the blonde could say. Damon scoffed and rolled his eyes, but decided none-the-less that he would end the Haley girl's misery. The man she loved did not love her back, he was probably sneaking around with the Nanny – she would be a wonderful kill. He tried to ignore the fact that there was something in her eyes that reminded him of Katherine. A spark in her eyes that he had only seen in Katherine's before. Something about how she held herself with such class. She walked like she was the most powerful person in the room, due to confidence and pure happiness with ones self. He told himself that he was doing her a favor, and that the reason he was going to kill her wasn't because of her similarities to Katherine. He was over that bitch _(lies)_.

When she left the building he waited a few minutes and then followed her out. He stayed a respectable distance away from her as she walked to her car; stalking his prey. It was the perfect opportunity when she dropped her keys right in front of her car. He swooped in and picked up the keys.

"I think these are yours," he told her with a charming grin as he handed her her keys.

"You would be right," she answered back with a sweet smile _(something Katherine never had)_.

"I'm Damon Salvatore," he introduced himself, picking up her extended hand and kissing the top like a true southern gentleman.

"I'm Haley Scott," she told him with a soft blush coloring her cheeks. She knew she shouldn't be standing there with the handsome stranger. She should already be on her way to pick Jamie up from Brooke, but he was captivating. He had the same coloring as Nathan did. Pale skin, black hair, and startling blue eyes, but it seemed more extreme on him. His skin was more pale, his hair darker, and his eyes _blueblueblue_. His personality even seemed _more_. He was _more_, but she shouldn't be thinking that. She loved her husband: he was the love of her life _(she didn't yet realize her life was almost over)_.

"Pleasure to meet you," he told her, doing a flirty eye thing that seemed to always get to women. She just smiled in response. "So where are you headed off to?"

Honesty was always the best policy, and she wasn't trying to pick up this stranger or anything _(even though he was unnaturally handsome)_. "I'm on my way to pick up my son," she told him with a fond smile.

"You have a son?" Damon questioned, only mildly interested. It didn't matter she was about to die anyways.

"Yup," she said, popping the 'p'. She moved to get into her car, and he could tell that she wouldn't go anywhere willingly with him. He was in front of her in a second.

"Ah, ah, ah. Not so fast," he laughed at her, and she finally sensed the danger he was. Without another word she turned on her heels and took off in the opposite direction. He watched her with predator eyes. Her survival instinct was taking over and she was running on adrenalin. She had to get away – for Jamie _(Jamie, always Jamie. She did everything for Jamie)_.

She was right next to the back entrance to _Tric _when he slammed her up against the cold wall of the building. She let out a cry of pain and fear. He chuckled hotly and brought his mouth to the shell of her ear.

"Please let me go," she pleaded, emotion changing her voice. She had to get away. She couldn't leave her son. He chuckled once again.

"You are a fire cracker," he told her in what seemed to be an affectionate voice, but she sensed that it really wasn't. He turned her quickly and her back hit the wall, the pain great enough to bring tears to her eyes.

"Stop, please. I'll do anything!" She stressed. She just _needed _to get free.

He stroked her face gently. "You remind me of my ex. Willing to do anything to save your own ass. Amazing," he mused, taking a strand of her dark hand between his fingers. He pulled it sharply and said his next words, "my ex was a traitorous evil bitch."

"Stop!" She cried, tears streaming down her face. "I have a son! A husband! Please," she pleaded with desperation.

His face turned dark quickly, and she tried to shrink against the wall. He was terrifying. It was that moment Haley Scott realized that she wasn't going to escape. She was going to die. His hand wrapped around her neck tightly.

"They'll be better off without you. Maybe the Nanny will step in as mother," he sneered, his stunning face in hers. A gasp was released from her lips as she stared at the terrifying stranger in shock. The pupils of his eyes dilated as he said his next words, "you will not make a noise."

Her pupils followed suit as he entered her mind without her consent. He had compelled her. His hands let go of their tight grip on her throat, and instead went to tracing the veins. His face changed in front of her eyes from brilliant to a demons face. Her eyes widened and she shook her head back and forth in fear. _A vampire_.

"Aw, don't be like that," he sneered around his fangs. "You're just one more little bitch I'm ridding from the world," he told her in a sweet tone. "No one will even miss you." And he went for the kill, his fangs ripping into her flesh mercilessly.

Her mouth was open in a silent scream as the pain was great, and then…everything faded…into…the…_darkness…_

()()()

Brilliant light forced Haley James Scott to open her eyes. She stretched out her body like she did every morning when she woke up, but something was not right. Instead of her soft mattress she felt the hard, cold ground. There was crap poking painfully into her back, and she could swear that her left leg was bent at a weird angle that was not natural. She easily lifted her upper body, which was shocking. Usually she had to force her body to get up in the morning, but she felt weightless. Like she weighed no more than a feather. She looked down at her lower body, and saw that _yes _her leg was twisted at a weird angle, but she had to try to get up. She looked around to see where she was and saw that she was dumped in _Tree Hill Cemetery_, propped up against Keith's tomb stone. She did not remember what happened the night before. Did she stop at the cemetery after she left _Tric_? _Tric…_something about the name of the popular club nagged at the edges of her mind.

She stood with surprising ease – her leg didn't ache at all. She looked down at her leg and saw that nothing looked different about it. It looked normal; like she hadn't just seen it twisted and popped out of socket. Her clothes made her eyes widen. They were ruined! Her white button up shirt was half untucked from her black skirt and covered in mud – and was that _blood_? Why would _blood _be on her shirt? Her skirt was stained with mud and grass, and had rips in it. One of her black pumps was missing. She slipped the other one off with a sigh and squished her toes in the cold mud. She rolled her white _(grey-ish) _sleeved up to her elbow, and pulled her short hair into a pony-tail, 'cause it was knotted and filled with twigs and grass. She probably looked like hell. She looked around the cemetery and only then did the body on the ground catch her eye. She fell to her knees in front of it and let out an ear piercing scream.

_It was her…_

It was her body!

What the hell…

She reached out a hand to brush some hair out of her own face, but her hand went through her. With desperation Haley tried to touch anything beside herself, but failed every time. What the hell…

She figured it out after staring at her own body. The same torn up clothing and the same blood covering her face. She was dead.

_She was dead!_

Her breaths started coming out in sharp pants and her eyes darted around the cemetery. She tried to get into her body and see if that would work, but it didn't. She was just lying in her own corpse. She put her hands over her head as silent tears streamed down her face. _She was dead! _

But how?

Almost on cue the memories came rushing back to her. _Ice blue eyes. A sinister smirk. A rough touch. Terrifying fangs tearing into her flesh_. She remembered her killer and her death. Why would he leave her out in the open though? And how cruel does he have to be to leave her on _Keith's _grave? Then again he did kill her and he was a _vampire_. He took her life. _She was dead!_

"Come on, Haley. Calm down. Your panic doesn't do any good. You can't help yourself now," she said out loud. She took a few breaths and solemnly looked at her dead body.

_Poor Jamie! _She wouldn't be there for her own son's life. She had to miss it. The tears continued to fall from her eyes.

It took her minutes to calm down, but when she did she realized something vital. Her chest was rising slowly. Plus she felt tethered to her body, like if she tried to leave she wouldn't be able too go too far. _She was alive_.

A grin took over her face. Someone had to find her. She was out in the open for heavens sake! But would they find her in time? She realized that she was dying. In fact, she was still bleeding. And how long had she been out there? All night surely, but what time was it? Morning sure, but how early? How late?

Depression took over her body. She was as good as dead, but she couldn't give up hope. She just couldn't. She needed to get out of the cemetery. She needed to see her family and friends. She needed to see if they even knew she was missing. Did they think she got into an accident or maybe just ran away from home? She needed to see for herself so she started to leave the cemetery, but then she felt her body. She felt its pull and had to turn to look at it. Could she leave it? What would happen? Should she just wait with it?

_No_. She knew she could die and she wanted to see her family one more time. She set her chin with determination and walked out of the cemetery, her body calling her back all the while. She walked _(more like floated)_ down the familiar roads. She enjoyed the _Tree Hill _scenery: the town she lived in her whole life. During the walk _(the non-tiring walk due to the fact that she wasn't even walking) _she let her mind wonder.

What would happen when she died? Would she disappear? Surely the only reason she was still on the earth was because she was still alive. So, as soon as her heart stopped beating would she just disappear? Or would she slowly get weaker until she died? Before long she was entering her house _(through the freakin' wall)_. The sight she saw made her take pause.

Jamie was standing in the kitchen with tears streaming down his face. Nathan's expression was stoic. Carrie had a worried look on her face, but still had a small smirk painting her face. The icing on the cake? They were all wrapped up in each other. Carrie wrapped around Jamie and Nathan wrapped around the both of them. Carrie and Nathan were comforting _her _son like they were a family. _What the hell!_ She could barely make out the words they were whispering to her son, but she got the gist of it…

_We'll find her…_

_ Maybe she lost track of time…_

_ Peyton hasn't gotten a hold of us yet, maybe she's with them…_

_ The police will start looking soon…_

_ Your mother __**loves**__ you…_

The words were making her sick. She doubted they could hear or see her, but she _had _to try. She couldn't handle seeing her family so distressed. She ran over to them and attempted to touch Nathan – her hand went straight through him.

"I'm alright! I'm right here," she told them desperately. She got no answer. "I'm alive!" She tried again, but they couldn't hear her. More tears littered her blood stained face. The trio was silent.

"This is ridiculous," Carrie said, breaking the silence. She shook Nathan off of her and grabbed Jamie's shoulders, staring into his watery blue eyes. "Your mother is fine," she started, but grimaced when his little eyes shone with hope. "She and your father had been going through a rough spot. She probably just left, Jimmy Jam." Tears sprung back up in his eyes.

"Carrie!" Nathan yelled, shocked that she would actually say that to his son _(but he thought maybe she was right)_.

"Baby, she doesn't matter. Not if she left you," Carrie tried to tell Jamie, trying to get her claws in him. _She _wanted to be his mother.

Haley saw red. She rushed over to the other brunette and attempted to do something _(anything)_ to harm her, but she couldn't get purchase on the slutty Nanny. She was useless. She couldn't even protect her own family.

Nathan pulled Carrie back with a glare and took her spot. "That's not true, James. Your mother would _never _leave you," he told him with all the conviction he could muster. He couldn't help but think that the whole situation was his fault. He dealt her too much. He didn't treat her right. He was too cruel to her, and she's gone _(gonegonegone)_. His _always and forever _was gone. His son was hurting. _All. His. Fault._

"You're lying!" Jamie exclaimed, pulled away from his father with hurt coloring his face.

"No, I'm…" Nathan started to protest, but Jamie cut him off.

"I hate Mommy!" He yelled before running out of the room with a fury and passion that he inherited from his mother. Nathan turned and chastised Carrie for being unsympathetic and followed his son out of the room.

Haley felt her whole world fall apart. She fell to the floor like all the walls in her perfect world had. She hugged her knees to her chest as sobs consumed her body. And it was her alone in the room. The newest member of the living undead crying by her lonesome in her former living quarters.

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**(Aw! Poor Haley! Damon's such a bastard. Before you ask, this is a love story. Which means Damon will fall in love with a ghost-like being, but will he be able to see/touch her? Stay tuned to find out! Haley haunts Damon next chapter. Tell me what you think!)**


	2. Never Torment the Dead

**(Shocked that I'm updating so fast? Don't be this story is haunting me. Heads up though, I probably won't update again till the weekend. I'm not sure though. I might shock us all. This one is shorter than the last one, but it works. Lots of Damley in it. Thank you for the reviews last time, and I hope you enjoy this one just as much **_**(if not more)!**_**)**

**Disclaimer: If I owned anything relating to OTH or TVD I wouldn't be freaking out about affording college next year, now would I?**

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A Damley Short Story

Parade of Unholy Dead Things

P2: Never Torment the Dead

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_"I hate Mommy!" He yelled before running out of the room with a fury and passion that he inherited from his mother. Nathan turned and chastised Carrie for being unsympathetic and followed his son out of the room._

_ Haley felt her whole world fall apart. She fell to the floor like all the walls in her perfect world had. She hugged her knees to her chest as sobs consumed her body. And it was her alone in the room. The newest member of the living undead crying by her lonesome in her former living quarters._

Haley was doing her best imitation of Edward Cullen, except for the fact that no one was sleeping, but she was creepily watching her friends and family. Everyone she loved kept coming and going. As morbid as it sounded, Haley was actually enjoying herself. She got to see what the people who she loved unconditionally really thought of her.

_Nathan: _he thought she really left him. He didn't think she was missing, but he thought he had pushed her away completely. _He should have known better._

_Jamie: _his heart was broken. He didn't know what to believe. Would his Mommy really leave him? _She would never leave him._

_ Carrie: _the bitch was happy she was gone, that was obvious. _She would fire the traitorous bitch if she survived._

_ Peyton: _she was worried, but not about Haley. She was worried that Haley went back to her old habits of running when things got rough. _Thanks for the vote of confidence, Peyt._

_ Lucas: _thought something had to be wrong. He knew Haley and she wouldn't leave Nathan and Jamie. His best friend would never abandon her family. _He always knew her better than anyone else. _

_Brooke: _was heartbreaking. She wouldn't stop crying. She _knew _something was wrong with Haley. She just knew her friend was in deep shit. _She would never love anyone like she loved Brooke Davis – her rock, biggest supporter, and sister. _

Haley watched with morbid fascination as the people she loved cried over her. She realized it was probably the last time she would ever see her family. She had no hope in surviving, not when she felt herself getting weaker by the minute. She was dying. Slowly getting weaker as the pull her body had on her got stronger. She would be dead by the end of the day. In only mere hours.

Nathan left Jamie with Brooke and Carrie _(something neither women appreciated)_ when there was a knock at the door. Haley stayed where she was, lounging on top of the kitchen counter. Usually she wouldn't have appreciated someone sitting on her clean counter, but she was a ghost. What harm could it really do? She absentmindedly ran her hand through a bottle of mustard that was left on the counter from lunch. It felt _weird_.

Nathan gathered everyone's attention when he entered the room. Brooke's hazel eyes, Carrie's brown eyes, Jamie's blue eyes, and Haley's transparent brown eyes all focused in on him. He explained that it was the cops at the door.

"Have they found anything?" Brooke asked her eyes red and swollen from crying.

"Yeah," Nathan breathed out, looking utterly destroyed.

Morbid curiosity made Carrie ask, "what?"

"Yeah, what?" Haley echoed, even though she knew no one could see her. Did they find her body? Was she dead? She didn't _feel _dead. She felt almost dead, but not quite there.

"Her car," he started, but had to pause and run his hands over his face in frustration. Haley was shocked to see tears escape his blue eyes _(Damon's were bluer)._

Brooke turned to Carrie. "Could you take Jamie into the other room?" She asked and Carrie nodded her head, with a small smile on her face. Brooke wanted to slap it off, but there was a time and a place for everything.

"No!" Jamie yelled, shocking the entire room, but not Haley. Her son was too much like herself – he didn't want to be treated like a baby. He had a right to know. "I want to know."

"Son," Nathan said in a warning tone, but that didn't stop Jamie. He wanted to know, and he would know.

"Mommy would tell me," he said in a small voice, and Haley's heart broke. She would have told him to. He was right.

"He's right, Nathan," Brooke chimed in. Haley jumped up from her seat and approached her son. She hovered her hand right above his shoulder, giving him the only comfort she could. Nathan nodded his head once.

"They found her car. It was turned over right out of town," he told them solemnly. "She's officially a missing person's case." The silence in the room was deafening.

The town decided to hold a search-party party. The town's citizens would gather at the river court and in the surrounding businesses in Haley's memory. Volunteers would pile into cars to look for her, while others would be together for moral support. The service was Peyton's ideal. She wanted to get people's hopes up. They could not lose hope. They would find Haley, Peyton was sure of it.

Haley was shocked by the number of people who showed up in her honor. There was a staggering number of volunteers, and some businesses even went as far as to hand out free refreshments. There was crying. There was reminiscing. There was laughter. _There was hope_. Something Haley herself didn't have. They were searching for her body outside of town, in surrounding areas – because of where they found her car. But her body was in the cemetery, in the middle of town. She decided that her killer was a cruel, cruel man. Scattering her car and her body so far away from each other. It wasn't fair! She had no chance at surviving.

She saw plenty of people she recognized. Co-workers, old friends, and acquaintances all littered the depressing party. One face stood out though. _Damon Salvatore._ Her _murderer_.

What the hell was he doing there! How dare he show his face! She couldn't help the memories that assaulted her mind.

"_You are a fire cracker," he told her in what seemed to be an affectionate voice, but she sensed that it really wasn't. He turned her quickly and her back hit the wall, the pain great enough to bring tears to her eyes. _

"_Stop, please. I'll do anything!" She stressed. She just needed to get free…_

"_Aw, don't be like that," he sneered around his fangs. "You're just one more little bitch I'm ridding from the world," he told her in a sweet tone. "No one will even miss you." And he went for the kill, his fangs ripping into her flesh mercilessly. _

She shook her head to physically remove the memories of her almost death from her mind. She watched with tears in her eyes as he approached Nathan and gave his condolences. She felt herself get angrier by the second as he bent down to Jamie's level and said something to her son. She was too far away to tell what. She didn't want to be anywhere close to the man who ruined her life.

She watched Damon from afar for the rest of the night. Watched how he flirted with Brooke and Carrie. Watched as he fit in perfectly – he was the _perfect_ liar. The perfect predator. When he left, she felt compelled to follow him. Just like how she felt compelled to stay with her body. It was the strangest thing, but oddly easy to figure out. He had her blood rushing through his system. He _owned _a part of her. She _was _a part of him. She felt the same pull to Jamie, because they had the same blood running through their veins. She could probably find her body, Jamie, and Damon no matter where they were; without even thinking.

She followed her pull to Damon thirty minutes after he left.

She followed him to the only motel in the small town of _Tree Hill. _It was a small rundown place, but the town didn't receive many visitors so they didn't feel the need to fix it up. She floated through the door, down the halls, and into his room soundlessly. She watched his body tense up from behind, and wondered if he could _feel _her presence. He was pouring himself an alcoholic drink, and she found it oddly fitting that her murderer was a drunk.

"You are a bastard," she mused, not expecting him to hear her, but he whipped his body around automatically. He stared at her in shock, his jaw hanging open and his blue _(so very blue) _eyes wide. Her expression must have matched his because he could _see her_! What the hell?

Before she could contemplate why he could see her or how, he had lunged for her throat. And, as to be expected, he went straight through her and crashed into the wall with a surprising force. She guessed vampires really did have super strength. Super speed too.

"Well that was rude," she pointed out, turning to look at his stiff, ridged body. _He was delicious_. She shook the lustful thought out of her mind. He was a bastard who murdered her – or at least tried to murder her.

"I killed you," he commented, his shock at seeing her showing through. She wanted to point out that she was still alive, but dying. She wanted to _order_ _(beg) _him to save her, but she held her tongue. If he knew she was still alive he would probably just finish the job, and she couldn't have that. She had to do everything in her power to survive _(for Jamie)_ and if that included lying to her murder, then so be it. Did the moral code even count when it concerned the person who murdered you? She wasn't sure.

"I know," she told him in a bored tone. She walked over to his bed and flopped down onto it. "I'm a ghost," she said in a cheerier tone, plastering a fake smile onto her face.

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "There are no such things as ghosts," he told her, fixing her with a stern look as he stood in front of the bed.

She raised one eye brow doubtfully. "You ran straight through me," she bit out slowly, as if he had a mental handicap.

"A fluke," he told her in his signature bored tone, but then did something that shocked her. He lunged onto the bed and landed _in _her. She bounced off the bed quickly and sent him a disapproving look.

"So not cool," she told him, shaking her limbs out. That had felt _bizarre. _Like she was _in _his body. She wondered briefly if she could possess him. Like ghost possession.

"Maybe you are a ghost," he conceded, adding a tiny shrug to the end.

"So, how does it feel?" She questioned, sitting on the edge of the lone desk in the room.

"Hmmm?"

"How does it feel to know you can't even murder somebody right?" She questioned, her head tilted to the side as she studied him. She was taunting him, she was aware of that fact, but it was something to do. Plus he was a bastard, he deserved it.

He glowered at her and mumbled something under his breath that she couldn't hear. "You're dead, aren't you?"

_No. _"Yes, but I'm still _here_," she told him with a shrug. "Therefore you suck at, well…sucking," she told him with a cheeky grin.

"Clever vampire pun," he deadpanned.

"I thought so," she shrugged again.

"So why are you even here?" He questioned and sat up in his bed. He ran a hand over his face. _She was giving him a massive headache_.

She leveled him with her glare. "'Cause you suck at the one thing you're supposed to be good at. You know, feeding on people."

He sighed. "Not why are you still on the earth, I couldn't care less about that, but why are you bugging _me_?" He asked her, really wanting her to leave him with _fuck _alone.

"Because you killed me. I have the right to haunt you," she pointed out what she thought was the truth. And it probably was, but did anyone really have a handbook on how to behave as a ghost?

"Oh, goodie me," he drew out sarcastically. He studied her thoughtfully. "You know, I would have made your death more painful if I had known you'd be this annoying," he told her with his signature smirk.

"I think you made it plenty painful," she told him; wincing as she remembered the pain she felt when he murdered her.

He used his vampire speed to be in front of her in a second. He put his hands on either side of her, and put his face right in front of hers. She found his closeness distracting and terrifying.

"Trust me," he drew out quietly, he hovered a hand over her face – pretending to caress it. He moved his mouth to her ear. "I could have made it _so _much worse."

"Get away from me," she hissed threateningly. He just smirked and moved ever closer.

"Ooh," he taunted. "I'm _so _scared." She tried to push him away, but her hands went straight through him. "Stop," he mock-whined. "It tickles."

"I hate you," she breathed out, tears lining her eyes.

"Many people do," he answered cryptically.

"I can see why," she answered and moved out of his arms. She fixed him with a glare while he just sighed tiredly.

"Are you trying to annoy the fuck out of me?" He finally questioned, having had enough of hearing her voice.

"Yes," she answered honestly.

"Great," he said sarcastically. "I'm being haunted."

"And you deserve every minute of it."

Damon finally had had enough. He blurred over to her and got into her face menacingly. "Listen here, Ghosty. I don't care if you're dead and I certainty do not care if I was the one who murdered you. You are becoming a pain in my ass, and if you don't _shut your annoying little trap _I'll rip your perfect little son's throat out. Literally," he threatened, and smirked when she tensed up. "Do we have an understanding?"

She gave several jerky nods in response.

"Great," he grinned and sauntered back over to his bed. He grabbed his alcohol and looked at her thoughtfully. "You know Haley; you should _never _torment the dead." He raised his glass to her, as if he was toasting her.

Haley stayed where she was, starring at her murderer in shock. She was quiet as a mouse, but she did not move an inch.

()()()

Lucas Scott was lost. Not literally, but figuratively. His best friend was _missing._ As in _gone_. He didn't know what to do. She had always been there for him. Had always been his rock. He needed some understanding so he went to the cemetery – to visit the one person who had always given him the most understanding. Keith. As he walked through the cemetery he let his mind wonder.

From afar he saw someone sitting at Keith's grave and decided to turn around and give them some privacy. He turned and started walking away, but then took pause. He turned and looked to Keith's grave. He studied the person sitting at the grave from afar. He made out the shape of a small woman and the fact that they weren't moving. He took off into a sprint. It was Haley, he just knew it was.

When he reached the grave he realized he was correct: it was Haley. A muddy, unconscious, blood covered Haley. He felt his world fall out from under him. He reached for her throat to check for a pulse and _(thank God) _found one. He scooped her up in one quick motion, noticing how her head lolled to the side. How she wasn't dead he didn't know.

He ran off to his car with her in her arms, not knowing if she would survive, but knowing that he had to _try _to save her.

Because a life without her was unimaginable.

()()()

**(I hope you enjoyed it! She's been found! YES! And what did you think of Damon's threats? Did I do him justice? Before anyone asks, the only other TVD character that is coming in is Stefan (and Katherine later). This is supposed to be set years before TVD really is. Season five of OTH. So, you wanna know why I updated so quickly? I'm stressed out of my mind and writing helps me release steam. Why am I stressed? In just a few hours (as soon as they post it on the 1****st****) I find out whether or not I got into my dream college. Wish me good luck, and REVIEW! Tune in next time; we get to see how Haley is in the hospital. Plus Damon and Haley bond a little.)**


	3. Saving the Dead

**(Wait…what? And update so soon? Why yes. Now pick your jaws up off the ground and get ready for part three. Lots and lots of Damley coming up! Review, please?)**

**Disclaimer: Nope, don't own a thing.**

()()()

A Damley Short Story

Parade of Unholy Dead Things

P3: Saving the Dead

()()()

"_Great," he grinned and sauntered back over to his bed. He grabbed his alcohol and looked at her thoughtfully. "You know Haley; you should never torment the dead." He raised his glass to her, as if he was toasting her._

_ Haley stayed where she was, starring at her murderer in shock. She was quiet as a mouse, but she did not move an inch…_

_When he reached the grave he realized he was correct: it was Haley. A muddy, unconscious, blood covered Haley. He felt his world fall out from under him. He reached for her throat to check for a pulse and (thank God) found one. He scooped her up in one quick motion, noticing how her head lolled to the side. How she wasn't dead he didn't know._

_ He ran off to his car with her in her arms, not knowing if she would survive, but knowing that he had to try to save her._

_ Because a life without her was unimaginable. _

Haley never moved an inch. She stayed in the room with Damon, glaring at him as he smirked at her. She just could not get over how something _that _stunning could be so cruel. He was the ultimate bad boy, and the part of her that had always strived to _save _was begging her to fix him. To make him human. But he wasn't human, and _hell _she wasn't even sure if _she _was human anymore.

"Whachya still doing here, Ghosty?" Damon questioned in a bored draw. Haley just continued to glare at him. She didn't want to say the reason, it was embarrassing really. He sat up and smirked at her glare. "I said," he started, and she could _hear _the thinly veiled threat behind his words. _Answer or reap the consequences._ "What are you still doing here?"

She still took her sweet time answering. "I…" but she couldn't get the words out. Saying the words would be admitting weakness and she couldn't admit weakness. Not to him. He would have a field day.

"Spit it out," he growled out, his blue _(how could eyes be that blue?) _eyes flashing dangerously.

"No one else can see me," she rushed out and when his face showed his amusement she rambled on. "And I may hate you, _God how I hate you_, but you're the only one who can see me. And it is _so _frustrating and the silence is going to drive me half insane…"

"Well your voice is going to drive me _fully _insane," he snapped back, interrupting her ranting. He was rubbing his temples to relieve some of the stress she was giving him. _Could vampires even get headaches?_

"Maybe you shouldn't have killed me," she pointed out.

He snapped. "If I had known what you were like before I killed you I would have dragged it out. I wouldn't have shown you any semblance of care or compassion. I would have taken you somewhere else where we could have had _real _privacy. I would have almost drained your body of blood to where you were about to pass out, but then would have let you recover. Maybe give you some of my blood so we could start _all over again_," he ranted crazily. He looked better though. No longer looked like he could easily kill a whole town of people.

Plus he gave Haley a piece of valuable information without even noticing. _Vampire blood could heal._ She just had to get _some _into her body, but how? She stored that information away for later. "Feel better?" She questioned, not even bothered by his rant about murdering her. _Been there done that_.

"Yes actually," he answered, eyeing her warily. He was shocked that his rant didn't scare her in the least. _It was meant to scare her_.

"Can I ask you a question?" She asked, her eyes darting around nervously.

"If I said no would that actually stop you?" He questioned back dryly. He had the feeling she was the kind of girl who didn't take no as an answer. He had to respect her for that, because he was that type of man.

She ignored that jab. "Why me?" She dared to question.

He didn't even bother with pretending to not know what she was talking about. It was fairly obvious. "A guy has to eat," he answered, flashing his pearly whites.

She shuddered at the sight. _Creepy. _"So it was coincidence that it was me. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time?" She questioned. She was just another _meal? That _was why she was murdered? She knew it shouldn't matter _why _she had to endure the torture she did, just that she did, but that answer didn't sit right with her.

"Kinda, but you were also the tastiest morsel in that bar," he told her, giving her a charming grin. He sighed when she bristled and glared at him. "That was a compliment," he pointed out dryly.

"And _such _a good one at that," she mumbled sarcastically under her breath, too low for anyone else to hear.

"I heard that," he sing-songed. _Obviously vampires had super hearing too. _Damon studied her and could tell that she wasn't happy with his answer, and never would be. She needed something more, and for some reason he wanted to give it to her. He would say that he was feeling guilt for killing her, but he wasn't. He didn't regret killing her, not in the least. It was his nature to kill for food. What he did was no more wrong then a human slaughtering a cow. But there was something about Haley…

"Of course you did," she laughed a little. He almost seemed perfect. Was there anything he couldn't do? She knew better though. She wasn't fooled by his human farce. He was a monster – _a vampire_. She could also tell that as a man he was deeply flawed.

"You remind me of my ex," he admitted, but where Haley would have blurted it out, his words were calculated. They were cold. Almost as if he wasn't letting himself feel the weight of his words.

"How?" She questioned, remembering where he told her the same when he tried to kill her.

His eyes were far away, back to a far away time when he let himself fall in love. "The way you walk is similar. You both walk like you hold the world in your hands. Like you know that with simple actions and words you could destroy lives. There is something simple, dangerous, and sensual in your walk. You both don't try too hard to be sexy, you simply _are_," he said and then let out a shuddering breath. "You both worry about your own skin first. You have this burning need to _survive_," he mused, his eyes cold and hard.

"It's human instinct," she told him, wanting to distance herself from this mysterious woman as much as she could.

"It's not," he told her gently. "It's _your _instinct. Haley and Katherine instinct," he said and then paused. "Tell me, Haley. Have you ever done anything out of self preservation that no one else would have?"

"Yes," she breathed out, her eyes stinging with tears from realizing he was right.

"What?" He questioned, feeling the need to _know _how similar her and Katherine really were.

"It was years ago. I was sixteen and I was _scared_," she told him, pleading with him to understand. She didn't want him thinking she was like his ex. She could tell from the way that he talked about her that being compared to _Katherine _was not a compliment. That maybe this Katherine was the root of all his issues, and being compared to a person like that was something _no one _wanted. She told herself that it wasn't because of her growing attraction to the mysterious monster.

"Dully noted."

"Nathan and I had just gotten married," she said and paused to gauge his reaction. If he was shocked that she was sixteen when she got married, he didn't show it. "We had a _wonderful _few months, but then I got this offer. This offer for my career that I wanted to take, but that wasn't why I left. Not really. I was _scared. _Needing someone, loving someone _that _much…it was scary. I had always been independent. I had always only needed myself, and then he came into my life and changed all that. Plus, I had to give _so _much up. I had to give up my name, my parents left, I moved in with him, and I became known as Nathan's wife. I wanted to be known as Haley," she told the stranger, tears of regret and shame falling from her eyes.

"So you ran," he deducted, carefully concealing his emotions.

"Yes," she admitted.

"You are more like Katherine then I had originally thought," he seethed.

Tears were streaming down her face by that time. "I'm sorry," she sobbed, and he looked startled. "For what she did to you and for what I did to Nathan. I don't know everything she did to you, but I can tell she put you through the ringer and for that I am truly sorry."

That made him madder than he was to start with. He threw a lamp right through her and it hit the wall and shattered. She jumped and looked at him with wide eyes. "I don't need your pity!" He screamed.

"Damon," she breathed his name. That one word spoke volumes. It was pleading _(begging) _him to stop. He needed to _calm down_. But he was too far gone.

He turned to her with crazed eyes. "You know what I have done over the years? I have murdered; men, woman, and children – it doesn't matter. I'm a monster, Haley! I don't need your pity, and I certainly don't deserve it. I don't feel guilt for what I've done. Humans, the lot of you, are all just _food _to me," he sneered. He wanted to get it through her head. Wanted to make sure she got the message loud and clear.

She did get the message loud and clear. The reminder of what he was _(who he had murdered) _rang out in her mind. "You're right," she hissed out and he took pause. "How dare I feeling _sorry _for you. After what you've done to me and everyone I love. God, Katherine was probably right for doing whatever she did to you," she watched in sick satisfaction as pain crossed his beautiful face.

"I would shut up if I were you," he warned shakily.

"What are you going to do? Are you going to _kill me?_ Been there done that!" She yelled, flailing her arms in the air. "Or are you going to threaten my child again? Threaten a poor defenseless child _like a coward_."

"You don't know what I'm capable of," he hissed and his vampire features came out. Red eyes, prominent veins, and menacing fangs all succeeding in terrifying her, but she couldn't give up.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. You're a big bad scary vampire, right? I'm so _fucking scared!_" She screeched. "I take it back, I _really do_. I don't feel sorry for you, not in the least. In fact I feel sorry for _Katherine_. Girl was right to run far away from your crazy ass," she hissed and from there hell broke out. Damon yelled out threats as Haley hurled insults. Haley poured salt in his expansive wounds as Damon threw heavy objects at her head.

Somewhere during the ghost-vampire war Haley started feeling odd. The ever prominent pull Jamie and her body had on her was calling for her attention, her body more than her son. She felt that she _needed _to be with her body, but she fought off the feeling. She was afraid that if she gave in then that meant she would become one with her body – she wasn't sure if that would result in her death or in her life. She couldn't hold back anymore and gave in to the pull.

Damon was livid. How dare she say the things she was saying to him? He turned around to once again threaten everyone she had ever loved, but was shocked to not find her.

Where the _fuck _did she go?

()()()

After she gave into the pull she was automatically in a familiar hallway. She found it weird, before she had to walk to where ever she wanted to go. Could she just pop into wherever she wanted to go? Was this something she possessed the power to do all along, or was she _(heaven forbid) _getting stronger? If she was getting stronger, what did that mean? Did that mean that she was dying? What else could it mean?

She looked around and recognized the familiar hallways of _Tree Hill Memorial Hospital. _She slowly walked down the hallways and _knew _what way to go. She figured that was because she was still following the pull to her body. She eventually came across a waiting room and decided to peak inside. She froze when she saw the people she loved.

Brooke and Peyton were holding hands as they sat next to each other. Peyton's familiar curls looked as if she had been running her hands through them continuously. She had black streaks running down her cheeks from her eye makeup. She kept bringing her hands up and wiping at her nose and eyes pitifully. Her eyes were focused on the TV as she tried to distract herself from reality. Her legs were moving continuously as a nervous habit. Haley willed her heart to go out to the other girl, but it just didn't. Not after what Peyton had automatically assumed. She would _never _leave Jamie and she was furious at her friend for thinking she had.

Her heart _did _go out to Brooke, on the other hand. The sultry brunette was holding her best friends hand, but it didn't look like she was receiving any comfort from the action. If anything it looked as if she was going through the motions in hopes of giving Peyton comfort, even when she wouldn't receive any in response. That sounded like the ever selfless Brooke Davis. Her hair still looked absolutely perfect, but her makeup was shot to hell the way it could only be after crying for hours on end. Her other hand was unmoving and rested on her knee. Where Peyton was constantly moving, Brooke was as unmoving as the dead. Her eyes were focused on the door the doctor would come through.

On Peyton's other side was Lucas, who after a few minutes reached over and grabbed Peyton's hand. He gave it a reassuring squeeze and she gave him a small smile in response. He was covered in blood, and Haley realized with a start that he had found her body. She found it extremely cruel that he was the one who had found her body. He had probably been upset and went to see Keith, only to find her half dead. On Lucas's other side was Lindsey, who he had his arm wrapped around. Her hair was blocking her face as her head was lying on Lucas's shoulder, but Haley could tell that the other woman was asleep.

On Brooke's other side was Nathan. Her flawed husband who she wanted to wrap her arms around. He didn't deserve what he was going through. He didn't deserve this entire situation. Yeah, he had been dragging her through the ringer, but he was still a good man. He made mistakes and he was trying to make amends. She had no comment on the nanny situation. He had his arms resting on his knees and his head resting on his arms. He would occasionally move his hands to his head and pull his hair. He was suffering and Haley just wished she could do _something_.

Minutes passed as Haley stared at the people she counted as her family. Carrie was with Jamie, and while she didn't trust the nanny, she knew that Jamie was probably safe with her. Minutes turned to hours and only then did the doctor make an appearance. Everyone was out of their seats in a second.

"How is she?" Nathan questioned first. The doctor looked at the young man and sighed.

"She lost a lot of blood, but she's stable. She slipped into a coma," he told Nathan regretfully.

"And when will she wake up?" Brooke dared to questioned, her fear for her friend showing through.

"We don't know. Could be days, could be months, but it could also be never. You have to prepare yourselves for that possibility, because she had almost all of her blood drained out of her body. It was a miracle she survived," he told them, and then turned to take his leave. The tears were instantaneous.

"Hey doctor," Nathan called out to him, and the older man turned. "Can we see her?"

"Only one at a time."

Nathan left to go sit with his wife as Lucas was left with three sobbing woman. Haley trailed behind Nathan to be with her body – that was the only action that felt right.

()()()

Haley stayed with her body all night, even after Nathan left her. Part of her wanted to go with him, wanted to check on Jamie, but the other part, the bigger part, wanted _(needed) _to stay with her body. So she stayed. And that's how she found herself sitting on the bed with her own body when Damon Salvatore came rushing in. She took one look at him and could tell that he was _furious _about something. She didn't want to deal with his crap.

"Not in the mood right now, Damon. Go torment one of your other victims," she said in a dull tone, her eyes still focused on her own body. She looked better. They had cleaned the blood and mud off of her, and took off her tattered clothes. Although that meant she was wearing a hospital gown, and those things were _not _flattering. Her 'ghost' body still looked the same though. She briefly wondered if she would have to live her undead life looking like hell warmed over.

"You lied to me," he hissed out and she finally turned around.

She raised her eyebrows challengingly. "What are you talking about?"

"You're not dead!" He yelled, motioning towards her body on the hospital bed.

And it finally hit her. He felt betrayed. He felt betrayed that she would actually lie to him. She couldn't help the laughter that bubbled out of her mouth.

"What's _so _hilarious?" He demanded, still seething. The little bitch lied to him. How dare she?

"You are," she said, laughing. "I can't believe you're mad about this. I mean, you _killed me_," she explained why she found the situation so humorous.

"You lied to me," he said slowly, looking straight into his eyes, and she finally got it. She finally understood that honesty was a big deal for him. And she started to feel guilty. He obviously had trusted her and she had betrayed that trust. But still…

"I didn't read the murderer/victim behavioral handbook, sorry," she snarked. When that damned kicked-puppy/you-betrayed-me expression stayed on his face, she felt it was time to be serious. "I'm not quite sure how to act around you," she admitted in a whisper, her eyes focused on the white hospital tile.

"Come on," he said, shocking her into looking up. "This place smells like dead people, not to mention that the whole your bodies is on a hospital bed thing is freaking me out. Let's get out of here," he offered, motioning towards the door.

She stared at him for a few minutes. "You're not going to smother me with a pillow?" She finally questioned.

He let out a low chuckle and shook his head. "Not right now," he answered, and then started walking to the door. "Let's go, Casper," he called behind him. She didn't know why she did when she wouldn't leave with Nathan, but she found herself rushing to keep up with him, snarking about how he shouldn't call her Casper.

Nathan Scott was headed for his wife's hospital room when he saw a man leave her room with a smirk lining his face. He watched the man laugh, look to his right side – where no one else was – and say something. That wasn't the most troubling thing about the scene, though. The most troubling fact was the look on his face. The man looked like he was looking at the most interesting person he had met in awhile. He looked like Nathan did every time he looked at Haley.

He shrugged off the weird thoughts and headed into his wife's room. Maybe luck was on his side and she would wake up.

_Just maybe…_

()()()

**(So, I hope you enjoyed this! What did you think of the Damley interaction? Did you like their fighting? And what do you think of Haley actually going with Damon? So you know how I was telling you that I was expecting a letter from my dream college telling me whether or not I got in? Well…I GOT IN! *Happy Dance* Anyways…next time we have a little time jump and Stefan comes in. So get ready, and tell me what you thought!)**


	4. Fraternizing With the Dead

**(Another update! I have decided that this will be more than five chapters, but (probably) no more than 10. I'm not quite sure yet. Depends on how many more twists I want to throw in. Thank you to all who reads, alerts, and reviews! It means SO much to me. Enjoy!)**

**Disclaimer: One Tree Hill and Vampire Diaries? Nope, not mine.**

()()()

A Damley Short Story

Parade of Unholy Dead Things

P4: Fraternizing With the Dead

()()()

"_Let's go, Casper," he called behind him. She didn't know why she did when she wouldn't leave with Nathan, but she found herself rushing to keep up with him, snarking about how he shouldn't call her Casper._

_ Nathan Scott was headed for his wife's hospital room when he saw a man leave her room with a smirk lining his face. He watched the man laugh, look to his right side – where no one else was – and say something. That wasn't the most troubling thing about the scene, though. The most troubling fact was the look on his face. The man looked like he was looking at the most interesting person he had met in awhile. He looked like Nathan did every time he looked at Haley._

_ He shrugged off the weird thoughts and headed into his wife's room. Maybe luck was on his side and she would wake up._

_Just maybe…_

_**Two Months Later**_

Nothing and yet everything had changed in the two months since Damon tried to murder Haley. She was still unconscious in the hospital. The doctor's were at first baffled, but then after running more tests found underlying complications. Internal damage that was keeping Haley's body from recovering. They doubted she would actually recover as at that point in time since, after several close calls, she was hooked up to multiple machines to keep her alive. She couldn't stay away from her own body as it slowly died. Damon Salvatore certainly did do a number on her physically.

But was that shocking since he also did a number on her emotionally? She was falling for him. Why or how, she wasn't quite sure, but she was. They had formed a weird friendship since that day she had followed him out of the hospital. She enjoyed his company as he made her feel as if she wasn't a living ghost. They would laugh, spew sarcastic comments, and enjoy themselves together. They had an intense dynamic, but it worked for them.

Her family and friends broke her heart. Jamie was struggling without her. Carrie was trying to replace her, but Jamie wouldn't let her. He wanted his Mommy, not his Nanny. Nathan was starting to push Jamie towards Carrie and Haley wanted to claw out his eyeballs for that decision. She was seething in jealousy over the nanny. The taller brunette was replacing her in her husband's life. Not to mention that she was moving in on her son. She wanted to strangle Carrie, but she couldn't due to her situation. She could walk through freakin' walls therefore she couldn't lay a transparent hand on the sneaky bitch.

Lucas had turned to Peyton for comfort, cheating on Lindsey with the curly haired blonde that would forever hold his heart. Haley couldn't condone their actions, but she had to admit that it was only a matter of time. Lucas and Peyton belonged together. She just couldn't wait until they stopped hurting everyone around them in order to be together.

Brooke seemed as if she was struggling the most _(besides Jamie of course)_. She didn't have anyone to turn to, besides Jamie. So because of that she was always with Jamie. He was her one reminder of her friend. She would visit Haley everyday in the hospital, bringing her flowers or something else that would liven the white room. Where as Nathan used to visit everyday, but then stopped visiting so often, Brooke never missed a day. Haley would sit with her as she rambled about the happenings in her life and her love for her friend grew tenfold.

It was weird to watch life go on without her, but it did. She could see what would happen if she didn't make it out of the hospital situation alive. Brooke would take on a mother role in her son's life, Nathan might move on with Carrie as the nanny tries to be a mother to Jamie, Peyton and Lucas would finally get together again, and the sun would still continue to set and rise – life would go on. Her guilt for leaving her family behind started to lessen.

It was two months and fourteen days after she met Damon Salvatore that she met his younger brother Stefan. She barged into Damon's room to find a handsome man yelling at her friend. The two men turned to look at her and the stranger's eyes widened. _He could see her! _She had figured that the only reason Damon could see her was because he was technically dead _(body on the plane of the living, spirit on the plane of the dead was his exact words)_, but that would mean that the stranger was also a vampire _(or some other type of undead creature)_.

"You turned her?" The man hissed, focusing his green eyes on Damon. He looked as if he was about to tear Damon's throat out, and Haley had to shift uncomfortably. She had no idea what was unfolding in front of her.

"I see you've been keeping up with the local small town happenings," Damon drew out in his normal patronizing/bored/I-don't-give-a-fuck/I-could-kill-you-without-blinking tone.

"She had a family and you murdered her!" The man yelled and then lunged for Damon's throat at an unnatural speed. Damon easily sidestepped him and had the other man pinned up against the wall in a second.

"See you're still munching on bunnies, little brother," he said, fangs bared at the other man. Little brother? That meant the other man had to be _Stefan_. Damon had told her a few stories about his younger brother and how Katherine had admitted to loving him. Things were strained between the brothers to say the least.

"Better than killing innocent people," _Stefan _said, always the voice of reason. Damon opened his mouth to respond, but Haley _needed _to get her two sense in.

"He's got you there, Damon," she said, and both sets of eyes _(so different)_ were set on here. "But he didn't _turn _me," Haley informed her friends younger brother.

Damon turned his attention back to his brother, but Stefan's eyes were trained on Haley. He was studying her. "Something's not right about her," he pointed out slowly.

"Just what a girl always wants to hear," she muttered, knowing both men could hear her. She bypassed the overdramatic scene in front of her, and sat down on Damon's rented bed.

"She's dead," Damon chimed in, an alarming grin plastered on his face. Stefan's eyes went from Haley to Damon.

"He killed me," she said in a bored tone, moving her own eyes to her nails. She heard, rather than saw, when Damon let go of his brother and the other man fell to the ground.

"But..." Stefan started, his mouth hanging open in a comical way.

"Her body is still in the hospital," Damon added, fixing his brother with his signature smirk.

"How?" He questioned, his eyes darting between the two.

"We're not quite sure, but look," Damon said, and then threw a pillow at Haley's head. As expected, it went straight through and she fixed him with a glare.

"Was that entirely necessary?" She bit out, ruffling her hair distractedly.

"Not entirely," he teased, wiggling his eyebrows in that way that drove her mad. Stefan watched the two with observant eyes. Eyes that could see what the two were not ready to admit.

"So, you're a ghost?" Stefan questioned Haley.

"Not really," she told him. "I'm still alive." Stefan just nodded his head in response, his eyes far away. "Hey," she called out to him and his green eyes focused on her brown ones. "Why did you think he turned me?"

Stefan laughed dryly in return. "Because it's par for the course with Damon."

"Your faith in me is staggering, little brother," Damon responded, smirking in a way that would make anyone's blood run cold.

"You've earned it," Stefan returned, a cold glare on his face. He turned towards Haley then, and the hard expression softened. "I've heard stories about the great Haley Scott who was in the hospital and thought he may have gotten to you," he explained to her.

"The great Haley Scott?" Damon questioned with a laugh. "They obviously don't know her," he teased and she just rolled her eyes in response.

"How can you be so at ease with him when he was the one who killed you?" Stefan questioned Haley.

Damon's penetrating eyes were trained on her, dying to know her answer, but she disappointed them all as she gave a casual shrug in response. In truth the shrug was forced as her eyes darted around the room and her mind echoed the true answer. _Because I'm half in love with him. _

"Spoken from the mouth of a self proclaimed genius," Damon snarked, mad that he didn't get a glimpse into her pretty little head.

"Bite me," she hissed out, her glare sending flames down his body. She was remarkable. The only woman _(since Miss Katherine) _who could match him stride for stride. And he just had to murder _her_. Hindsight is something he could use.

"I would love to, but that's an impossibility," he told her, and for good measure flashed his predators teeth.

Stefan was beginning to feel uncomfortable with them together, so he made an excuse to leave. Only to have Haley offer to go with him. He smirked at his brother's glare and left with the girl he was fairly certain had stolen his brothers _(no-existent) _heart.

()()()

Stefan returned several hours to find his brother with a drink in his hands. _Typical_. He scoffed and his brother's cruel eyes went to him.

"Have a fun afternoon?" Damon questioned, a warning hidden in his tone.

"I did," Stefan confirmed. "Haley is a great girl."

"Too bad she's dead or you two could have a real romance," Damon mocked, his jealousy showing through.

"She's not dead," Stefan corrected, leaning up against the wall and watching his brother with curious eyes.

Damon had him pinned by the throat in mere seconds. "So, what? You have a thing for her?" He demanded, his eyes searching his younger brother's face for any signs of what he was feeling.

"Never said that," Stefan said, his voice strained from the hand squeezing his throat.

"What _are _you trying to say?" Damon finally questioned, his brothers motives making him suspicious.

"You're in love with her," Stefan said, wincing as his brothers hand tightened.

"I'm not capable of love," the older brother spat out in anger. He finally tossed his brother to the side.

"You were in love with Katherine," Stefan pointed out, only to realize his mistake too late. After Damon ran into Katherine he tormented Stefan and almost murdered his younger brother. While Stefan didn't believe that Katherine really loved him, Damon did and he resented Stefan for Katherine's love.

"Don't," the handsome blue eyed monster growled.

"Damon your love for Katherine changed you into this monster, maybe your love for Haley can make you more human," Stefan pressed on and Damon was back in his face, baring his fangs in the next instant.

"_I am not human_," Damon hissed around his fangs. "Turning into a vampire made me a monster, not love."

"No, Damon," Stefan protested in his holier-than-thou tone. "I'm a vampire and I'm not as much of a monster as you."

Damon had finally had enough of his _dear brother _and headed for the door. "Says the boy who killed Lassie," he called over his shoulder as he left his room.

()()()

The music was loud and the bodies were swaying close in _Tric_. Anyone who was trying to pass the dance floor would have extreme trouble, but not Haley Scott. She walked effortlessly across the dance floor and over to the bar. She stood right beside Damon Salvatore who looked like his usual dashing self in black.

"Looking for a victim?" She questioned, only half kidding. He only looked over at her briefly and she saw enough of his expression to know he was upset. "What's wrong?" She questioned, true concern etched on her face.

"Stefan was just being a bother," he answered cryptically, his eyes focused ahead.

"He seemed really nice," she supplied, thinking back to the nice outing she had with his brother. Stefan was someone she could see herself forming an easy friendship with. Damon opened his mouth to reply _(with something hateful or sarcastic no doubt) _but they were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Were you just over here talking to yourself?" Carrie questioned, her eyes focused on the breathtaking man in front of her. "I mean, there are many women out here who would _love _to talk to you," she said, looking up at Nathan in a sexy manner.

"Oh please," Haley scoffed, her eyes rolling high into her head. She only managed to amuse Damon.

"But you see, the crazy guy in the corner act attracts the best women," he told her with his best charming grin. She was putty in his hands.

"Oh Damon," Haley mock swooned. "You are just _so _charming. Won't you take me now?" She mocked her son's nanny relentlessly. She couldn't help it though. She was freakin' jealous.

Damon brought his glass up to his lips to hide his smile.

"All that trouble for me? I'm honored," Carrie told him. "But I'm into somebody else," she finished, her eyes clearly set on Nathan from across the room.

"Yeah, anyone with two eyes can see that, Home Wrecker," Haley snarked, glaring at the tiny girl who was checking out her husband. She knew she shouldn't feel jealous, not when she clearly had feelings _(strong feelings) _for Nathan, but she couldn't help it. Nathan was _her _husband and she still loved him. More than Damon.

"Easy," Damon whispered, his eyes still trained on Carrie.

"What was that?" Carrie questioned, her head titled in a way that most guys would find attractive.

"I said bummer," he lied, smirking at her in a way that would make any woman's panties drop. Carrie was tempted to forget her seduction of Nathan and just go for Damon.

"Yeah, because 'easy' sounds _so _much like 'bummer'," Haley pointed out in a sour voice.

Damon turned and looked like he was checking out the room. "Shut up," he whispered in a hard voice, luckily Carrie didn't hear him. Haley just glared at him.

"God, it's like he doesn't even notice me," Carrie whined in a high pitched voice, eyes intent on Nathan.

"That's because he loves his wife," Haley said quietly, but _(of course) _Damon still heard her and had to bite back a groan. Her running commentary was going to drive him up a wall, because he couldn't comment back without seeming crazy.

"Let's give him something to notice," he said, offering his hand in a dance. She grinned at him and took his hand as he led her to the dance floor.

"Bastard," Haley yelled after him and had the pleasure of seeing his shoulders shake in silent laughter. Her eyes searched the room for something to do _(someone to haunt)_ and they landed on the beautiful Brooke Davis.

She was sitting at the bar nursing her drink and shaking off any unwanted advances. She looked _miserable _and Haley knew why. Deb had shoved Nathan, Carrie, Brooke, Peyton, and Lucas _(Lindsey had to go out of town)_ all out the door to have a good night. She was tired of seeing them wallow in misery. But honestly? No one but Brooke was really wallowing in the first place. She didn't want to celebrate when _her Haley _was quite possibly dying. Haley saw Stefan standing across the room with his eyes focused on the same pretty brunette and she made her way over to him.

"Hey," she greeted him, he turned to look at her briefly and gave her a warm smile, but then his eyes were back on Brooke. He looked captivated. Haley decided to try to give her friend as much happiness as she possibly could. So she went out on a limb. "Can you do me a favor?" She asked Damon's brother.

"What?" He questioned hesitantly. He saw Damon's eyes flick over to them, but he tuned his brother out and focused all his attention on the sweet girl in front of him.

Haley focused her eyes back on Brooke. "Go talk to her," she requested. Stefan looked startled, so she continued. "She's one of my best friends, probably my best if I'm being honest. She's really depressed about me being in the hospital and I want to see her smile," she told the man she had just met hours before.

"How do you know I could make her smile?" He questioned with a charming smile that spoke of simpler times.

"Smiling is effortless around you, Stefan," she told him with a smile of her own.

"I'll try my best." And he did. Within minutes Brooke was smiling and flirting. Haley almost felt as if she threw Stefan out to the lions as he looked away shyly after Brooke said something. They would make a good match though. She could feel it in her transparent bones.

Her own eyes went back to Damon and found him talking with Nathan and Carrie. She stayed where she was. She figured it would be less painful to watch from afar.

()()()

By time Damon and Haley reached his room Damon couldn't stop laughing. It was obvious that Haley had been terribly jealous of Carrie when both Damon and Nathan focused all their attention on her. Damon wasn't interested in the nanny _(he was in love with Haley) _but he found Haley's reactions hilarious.

"She was all over you like a dog in heat," she bit out, her beautiful face scrunched up adorably.

"Not her fault I'm irresistible," Damon commented and Haley could only glare at him.

"She's a whore," she said, her doe eyes wide and hurt. Damon turned so she was boxed against the wall next to his door.

"Maybe," he allowed, looking straight into her mesmerizing eyes.

Haley felt the anticipation take over her. _He was going to kiss her_. She got lost in the moment, but then realized something. He couldn't kiss her. She was a freakin' ghost! He would fall straight through her. And she shouldn't want him to kiss her anyways. She was married. She loved Nathan, not Damon. She closed her eyes and tapped into the power that she was recently mastered.

Haley vanished in front of Damon and he let out a sigh. He hated it when she did that. Hell, he hated it when she did lots of things. Mostly, he hated himself. He was the reason he couldn't touch her, kiss her, or hold her. He didn't regret killing her, because if he didn't then he never would have met her, but he hated that she was always so out of reach.

He punched the wall in frustration.

He _never _signed up to fall in love with a ghost.

()()()

**(Wow, what did you think of that? So lots of humor and lots of angst, did I do a good job? How do you feel about the Brooke/Stefan? Next time we have another time jump, some Baley, some Brooke/Stefan, and an important Damley talk – it involves turning. Dun dun dun. Excited? You should be! Next update will probably be next weekend. I haven't had school for the last week due to snow (hence the fast updates) but I go back Monday. Review, please!)**


	5. Moving on With the Dead

**(I'm alive! Shocked right? Well, here's this. It's not as good and is really short, but it's better than nothing right? I still don't know how long this will be, but it shouldn't be more than ten chapters. Thank you to everyone alerting, reviewing, and reading! You're the best! Hope you enjoy!)**

**Disclaimer: Nope. Not mine.**

()()()

A Damley Short Story

Parade of Unholy Dead Things

P5: Moving On With the Dead

()()()

_Haley vanished in front of Damon and he let out a sigh. He hated it when she did that. Hell, he hated it when she did lots of things. Mostly, he hated himself. He was the reason he couldn't touch her, kiss her, or hold her. He didn't regret killing her, because if he didn't then he never would have met her, but he hated that she was always so out of reach._

_He punched the wall in frustration._

_He never signed up to fall in love with a ghost._

_**Two (more) months later**_

__During the two extra months life changed as Haley knew it. Once upon a time her life was set in stone. She would help Nathan over the rough patch in her life, be an amazing mother to Jamie, and forgive Nathan for any mistakes he might make _(Carrie)_, get pregnant again, work on her music, give, give, give to her friends and family, and live a fulfilling life. She knew she would always have Brooke, Lucas, Peyton, and Nathan – they were her family. Her life was written out in front of her as an easy to read picture book.

That all changed the moment she met Damon Salvatore. He took her life _(essentially) _and yet gave her so much more. He made her feel alive in a way she had never before felt. With Nathan she had calmness _(a stillness she had once said) _with Damon it was the opposite. She was constantly yelling, or running away from him _(and her growing feelings)_. He made her _so frustrated_. She was anything but calm when around Damon. But she felt _alive _even though she was basically dead.

Not much had changed with her body at the hospital. The doctors had _no _faith in her to come back, and she didn't either. She felt barley any pull to her body at that point in the time, and she started wondering whether or not she was brain dead. The doctors didn't know, and all they would tell Nathan is that her body had been more or less void of blood so her parts couldn't work right. It was a distinct possibility that if she ever did wake up she wouldn't be the same. The doctors were starting to tell Nathan that he should consider pulling her plug. Nathan was adamant not to. He wasn't willing to give up hope.

She started to understand Nathan's choices. At first she had been furious with him for pushing Carrie onto Jamie and for ignoring her, but then everything started to make sense. He was _scared_. That's why he was making the decisions he was. He couldn't imagine a life without her, he couldn't imagine loving anyone the way he loved her, but he felt it was his duty. He felt that he wouldn't be a good father if Jamie didn't have a mother-figure. He didn't even like Carrie romantically, but felt that since Haley chose her to be Jamie's nanny then she would be Haley's choice for a replacement mother. He didn't visit often because every time he looked at Haley's still form his heart broke. His guilt, shame, and heartbreak grew every time he talked to her and she couldn't respond. He felt that he had been a bad husband to her and he would never get the chance to make amends.

He didn't realize that she forgave him. _Of course she forgave him._

During the two months she had the pleasure of watching Brooke and Stefan fall in love. For Stefan it was an easy fall. Brooke was beautiful, open, charming, sexy, and everything else he had _ever _wanted in a woman. She was so unlike Katherine that it was effortless for him to fall in love. It was harder for Brooke. She still had issues from Lucas and falling in love with another broody boy was the last thing she ever wanted. As she started to see how Stefan was different from Lucas she started to fall more and more. He had this tint of mysterious bad ass that Lucas had always lacked. He never pretended to be the golden boy like Lucas had, instead she had the distinct impression that he felt he wasn't _worthy of her_. It was refreshing to not feel like the person she had feelings for was better than her.

They told each other the important three words _(I love you) _one months and fourteen days after they met and Haley couldn't approve more. She just wondered how Brooke would take it when she found out that Stefan was a vampire.

Lindsey found out about Peyton and Lucas after nearly two months of them sleeping together. She finally got her wish to punch the curly headed blond, but looked at Lucas in shock when he got mad at her. She left him without looking back, but did mutter a, "you two deserve each other". Peyton and Lucas were disgusted with their selves and kept their distance.

The two blondes were slowly making their way back to each other, and Haley just hoped they would stay that way.

Her relationship with Damon had gotten more intense since the almost-yet-not-possible kiss. She was almost always with him; laughing, yelling, crying, screaming, but most of all _alive_. She had fallen completely in love with him. With all of him; the man and the demon. On one hand she felt guilty since she was still married, on the other hand she didn't care. Her love for Damon was so unlike her love for Nathan. They couldn't be compared.

It shocked Haley how two months could change her world forever.

Then again it also shocked Haley how one man _(monster) _could change her completely.

()()()

Brooke Davis sat on her couch with a glass of wine in her hands. She stared at a random place on her wall as her wind wondered. She didn't even hear Stefan walk up behind her, but felt it when he slipped the glass out of her hand.

"Hey," she protested weakly, her hazel eyes still not leaving the wall.

"Isn't it a little too early to be getting plastered?" He questioned, moving to sit the glass down on her coffee table.

She ignored his question and instead opted for one of her own. "How do you move on?" She dared to ask. Stefan stared at her with sadness in his eyes and moved to sit next to her. He took her hand in his own and squeezed gently.

"It's hard and it takes time, but you just do," he told her. Hazel met green as she turned her head and looked him in the eyes.

"But how do you move on from a life you once knew, when the biggest reminder is still there?" She elaborated, her glossy eyes searching for answers in her lovers. He had no answers for her.

"There's still a chance she might wake up, Brooke," Stefan feebly argued, not believing his own words one bit. He knew that it wasn't a good sign that Haley was running around as a ghost. He doubted she would ever wake up, but she was still around. He just wished he could tell Brooke that. He also wished he could tell her he sprouted fangs and drank blood, but he didn't know how she would react to those tiny tidbits. It's not everyday you find out the one you love is a vampire.

She turned her head and went back to staring at the wall. "She's not going to wake up," she said in a whisper. "She might as well be dead. At least then we would all get closure." Tears ran down her cheeks, smearing her perfectly done make-up.

Stefan held her in his tight embrace, realizing that her words were not intended to be cruel. She silently cried in her boyfriends arms, wishing for her Haley back. That's all she wanted. Her best friend back.

()()()

"I'm bored," Haley complained for the hundredth time. She slowly turned her head to look at her vampire counterpart and saw he had his eyes closed, but she doubted he was asleep. He always seemed overly aware when ever she was around. She would bet anything that it was because the crazy chemistry the two seemed to possess.

"Shut up," Damon commanded, his eyes never opening. The two were laying on his bed just enjoying each others company.

"But I'm bored," she complained, a perfect pout coloring her face.

"Shut up or I'll rip your throat out," he threatened, opening one eye to gaze at her.

She huffed and rolled her eyes. "Been there done that." He laughed in response.

"Speaking of your current situation," he started, both eyes closing again.

She sat up quickly and angled her body towards his. "I'm listening."

"Vampire blood has the ability to heal," he told her, finally opening his eyes and sitting up. "I could give you some of mine," he offered half-heartedly. He was convinced that as soon as she was healed _(if she was healed)_ she would go running back to Nathan and he would have his heart broken _(again)_.

"Really? I would be completely healed?" She questioned excitedly. She could go back to her family and live again! She wasn't quite sure what she would do about Damon, because she couldn't give him up _(not ever) _but she would cross that bridge if she ever got to it.

"If the damage I did to your body isn't too expansive, then yes," he answered. He felt the need to inform her of all the what if's of this choice. He couldn't have her regretting it later on.

She felt a cold dread sweep over her body. "What if it is?"

He sighed and got off the bed. He faced away from her and began to talk. "The doctors think there is a possibility that you have brain damage, Haley. My blood can't fix that. It's a possibility that my blood would heal your body, but not your mind."

"Which would mean?" She questioned, swallowing the lump in her throat.

He finally turned to look at her, but his face was expressionless. "You might not be the same," he said and left it at that.

"Is that the only possibility?"

"No," he answered shortly. After a few minutes of silence he went on. "The damage could be so bad that two things happen. One; it doesn't do anything at all. Two; we keep it in your system and when they finally pull the plug, you turn. Another possibility is that when you turn you come back wrong. I've never seen a vampire who was in a coma first."

Both were silent for minute. Finally Haley breaks the silence with a whispered, "I don't know what to do."

He sped over to the bed and crouched in front of her. "Do you love me?"

She screeched out a startled, "what?"

"Do. You. Love. Me?" He questioned again, enunciating every word.

"What kind of question is that?" She demanded. Why would he ask her such a thing?

"What have we been doing here, Haley? I've been falling in love, that's what I've been doing," he explained, and even in what was supposed to be a sweet and touching moment his voice held and unsaid threat. She knew she couldn't lie to him. "Do you love me?" He asked again.

"Yes. Happy now? I love you," she told him and added a glare to the end.

"Then aren't the consequences worth it? If you turn then we get to be together forever," he told her, trying to convince her to take his blood.

"But what if I become a vegetable?" She questioned, her eyes darting around from nervousness.

"Then at least you're not living this half-life."

"I can't turn into a vampire, Damon!" She exploded.

"Why the hell not?" He demanded. Both were standing nose to nose and breathing heavily.

"I can't watch the people I love die. I cannot watch Nathan and Jamie die!" She yelled and his face automatically hardened.

"Well, I can't watch you die. And you can't really stop me, can you?" He threatened. It was an empty threat, of course, but it did the trick. It got her nervous.

"Damon, don't! I cannot watch my son grow up and die. I just can't do it," she pleaded, tears gathering in her eyes.

"You love me, right?" He changed gears. He had to get her to see things his ways.

"Yes," she stressed. "But how can I watch my family be a family without me? How can I leave Nathan when I promised him forever and always?"

Damon spat out his next words, "who do love more? Me or Nathan?"

"Don't make me answer that," she warned, her brown eyes flashing dangerously.

"I can't make you do anything you don't want to," he pointed out.

She didn't say a word as her eyes bore into his.

"You love me more, don't you?" He questioned with a self satisfied smirk. In the next second she disappeared and he was alone in his room. "Thought so," he said aloud to the empty room with a laugh.

Now all he had to do was get her to choose an afterlife with him. Shouldn't be too hard, right?

()()()

Haley Scott watched her son and husband play like a family with Carrie staring in the mother role. She was seething in jealousy. Not because of Nathan though, but because of Jamie. She should be in Carrie's place. She should be the one laughing with her son. Not the bitchy Nanny.

In that moment Haley thought about turning into a vampire. She would get to spend an eternity with Damon and still watch Jamie grow up. If she didn't take Damon's blood then she wouldn't get to watch Jamie grow. But could she watch him die?

No. She couldn't. And she wouldn't. She wouldn't take Damon's blood, not if it meant having to see someone else play his mother and then watch him die. She couldn't do it.

She would just have to enjoy the last few months of her life, because she knew her family members would have to pull the plug eventually.

She would miss them all, but she would be strong and do this for her son.

He deserved to have a mother that would make this sacrifice for him, not one that would abandon him and play happily-ever-after with her lover.

She just didn't know how she was going to tell Damon.

()()()

**(It pains to me to see how short this is. Tell me what you think! Do you think Haley will change her mind? Will Damon force her into the choice? Did I do Brooke/Stefan justice? Next chapter you get another time jump and more plot. Some drama's coming up! YAY! And for a little spoiler, the title for the next chapter is "Threatening the Undead with Death" so that should be interesting, right? Talk to you next time!)**


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